1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to vision facilitating devices. More specifically, the present invention provides for an apparatus for facilitating vision from one eye of a user, and method for making the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
The present invention relates to vision facilitating devices. More specifically, the present invention provides for an apparatus for facilitating vision from one eye of a user, and method for making the same.
A person""s vision, or eyesight, can become impaired. Vision may degenerate over time or eyesight can become degraded due to illness, disease, accident or other ailment. Age-related vision degradation usually leads to a diminished near-vision, which renders text and close-up small items very difficult to see. To remedy this circumstance, a person can wear eyeglasses, which include reading glasses or traditional prescription eyeglasses. Eyeglasses are well known devices that are made with two lenses held by a frame, which must be arranged for being supported over the user""s nose, and which further include a pair of arms that bridge over the user""s ears to aid in holding the eyeglasses in place.
An environment may also lead to permanently or temporarily impaired vision, such as a low light level, or a small object that must be viewed. Well known remedies for these situations include, as before, wearing eyeglasses or reading glasses, or using a magnifying glass. A magnifying glass usually has a single magnifying lens adapted for being positioned close to the thing being viewed, and coupled with a handle that is adapted for being held in the user""s hand. A magnifying glass is held close to an object to magnify a view of that object. Accordingly, only a small area of sight is improved by using a magnifying glass. All other areas of sight will remain impaired.
In either instance, a person cannot always carry with him or her a magnifying glass or eyeglasses. Such devices are easily forgotten or misplaced, or too inconvenient to carry. Further, the utility of a magnifying glass is limited to the small area directly beneath the magnifying lens and, therefore, is not usually considered a necessary accessory. Further still, fashion trends of modem society may sometimes dictate against the use of such devices in social situations. Lastly, most eyeglasses, and to some extent most magnifying glasses, are of a size which can be easily broken in, or unwieldy for, common or repetitive uses.
The invention relates to an apparatus for improving and facilitating a user""s vision, particularly near vision and reading vision. In an embodiment, the apparatus is small, convenient to carry and use, and is of resilient manufacture. In accordance with a particular embodiment, an apparatus facilitates vision from one eye of a user. The apparatus includes a lens bounded by two side surfaces. The lens is adapted to be held close to the eye for improving a substantially complete area of vision from the eye. The apparatus further includes a holding mechanism. The holding mechanism has a first portion configured to fully or at least partially frame the lens, and a second portion adapted to extend from the first portion in the general plane of the lens. The second portion is further sized and adapted to be held between two fingers of the user.
In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, a method of forming a device configured for facilitating vision from one eye of a user includes the steps of forming a lens of a size, shape and power that improves a substantially complete area of vision from the one eye when provided close to the one eye, and connecting a holding mechanism to the lens. The method further includes the step of forming a tab with a portion of the holding mechanism. In a particular embodiment, the tab is configured for being held between two fingers of the user.